Doctor Strange stories venture into the weird and psychedelic. It’s difficult to know where to begin reading Doctor Strange comics. Fortunately, Geekly has you covered.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Marvel Comics had its renaissance in the Sixties. No other character screams the Sixties than Stephen Strange. During this decade, mysticism enjoyed a comeback. I’m sure fans attempted some of the spells depicted in Doctor Strange comics. Safety notice: don’t try the spells you find in Doctor Strange comics at home. Artists like Steve Ditko and Barry Windsor-Smith elevated Doctor Strange to another level. Within Doctor Strange, you’ll find some of the most vibrant art in Marvel.

But we’re talking about stories today, and Doctor Strange has had some of the best writers in the business write for him. Like we’ve been doing for the past few entries in this series, we’ll split these stories into single issues and story arcs. This week, we’ll begin with single comic book issues. Enjoy!

Single Issues

“Face to Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo!” (Strange Tales #111; written by Stan Lee/art by Steve Ditko; 1963)

The follow-up to Strange’s debut in Strange Tales #110, “Face to Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo” pits Doctor Strange against one of his most iconic enemies: Baron Mordo. Mordo is a fellow student of the Ancient One and plans to murder his master and gain the ultimate power. Doctor Strange learns of Mordo’s plan and stops him. Strange and Mordo share a sibling-like rivalry. “Face to Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo” establishes Doctor Strange, the Ancient One, and Mordo as characters. I can’t wait to see what the Marvel Cinematic Universe plans to do with Baron Mordo, portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Mordo is too good of a character not to see in Doctor Strange’s future.

“The Origin of Doctor Strange” (Strange Tales #115; written by Stan Lee/art by Steve Ditko; 1963)

Doctor Strange’s origin story isn’t the first one on this list because we’ve been listing these starter stories in the order in which they were released. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko “forgot to supply a Doctor Strange origin,” which was Lee’s note at the beginning of this issue. “The Origin of Doctor Strange” marks the first time Marvel retroactively published a backstory. Nice!

The story itself is iconic at this point and a must-read for anyone who wants to get into Doctor Strange comics. Steve Ditko is still finding his groove, but Strange Tales #115 remains a Doctor Strange and Marvel Comics classic. You can see similarities between Doctor Strange and Ditko’s other famous comic book creation, Spider-Man. Both start as selfish and turn selfless after a tragedy.

“To Steal the Sorcerer’s Soul” (Marvel Fanfare #5; written by Chris Claremont/art by Marshall Rogers and P. Craig Russell; 1982)

Chris Claremont avoids Doctor Strange’s psychedelia. Instead, Claremont is at his melodramatic best with “To Steal the Sorcerer’s Soul.” Even though Strange’s romance with sorceress Clea is in full swing, Nicodemus West is the source of drama. After Strange’s accident, West was the colleague who performed the surgery on Strange’s hands. Filled with guilt, Nicodemus tails Strange around the world, where he would obtain magical powers for medical use. “To Steal the Sorcerer’s Soul” shows Nicodemus’s descent into villainhood.

Story Arcs

The Eternity Saga (Strange Tales #130-146; written by Stan Lee/art by Steve Ditko 1965-1966)

While a seventeen-issue comic book story is normal for comics today, The Eternity Saga was one-of-a-kind for its time. Stan Lee may have penned the dialogue, but Steve Ditko’s artwork drives this sprawling epic. The Eternity Saga may appear later in this list, but it may be THE quintessential Doctor Doom story. Strange must battle Baron Mordo and Dormammu before being stripped of his power, rendered blind, and forced to search for the being named Eternity.

Steve Ditko cut his teeth with Spider-Man but kept his most ground-breaking art for Doctor Strange. The Eternity Saga solidifies Doctor Strange’s look, his archenemies, and his mythos. If you’re a fan of Doctor Strange movies, you should read The Eternity Saga. Doctor Strange films borrow from this storyline and there are a few surprises the MCU hasn’t yet introduced. The Eternity Saga is required Doctor Strange reading.

The Shuma-Gorath Saga (Marvel Premiere #3-10; written by Stan Lee and Barry Windsor-Smith/art by Barry Windsor-Smith 1972)

We had to include part of Barry Windsor-Smith’s run on Doctor Strange. After Steve Ditko left, the comic was in good hands. As the name suggests, The Shuma-Gorath Saga borrows a lot from H.P. Lovecraft and his Cthulhu myth. The title character, Shuma-Gorath, is an Elder God who has enthralled a woman Doctor Strange intends to save. Shuma-Gorath sends their minions to stop Doctor Strange, leading to an epic battle.

The Shuma-Gorath Saga is unique because Doctor Strange seldom uses his magic. Instead, he battles Shuma-Gorath with various melee weapons to include a crucifix. If you’ve seen Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, you may believe that Shuma-Gorath has made their MCU debut when a tentacle beast interrupted a wedding, but that’s not the case. Marvel doesn’t own the rights for Shuma-Gorath. That deal is in the works. There’s no way Shuma-Gorath would only get a cameo.

A Separate Reality (Marvel Premiere #9-10 & 12-14 and Doctor Strange #1-2 & 4-5; written by Steve Englehart/art by Frank Brunner 1972-1973)

Steve Englehart is another creative who left an indelible mark on Doctor Strange. A Separate Reality redefined Doctor Strange’s rogues from the 1960s. Dormammu and Nightmare make appearances in A Separate Reality. They challenge Strange while he attempts to save the Marvel Universe from other realms.

A Separate Reality also introduces the sorcerer Clea (played by Charlize Theron at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). Clea and Doctor Strange become lovers, which I’m sure will play a role in the Marvel movies, and the journey to save all realities leads to new heights of mind-bending moments. That’s saying something for Doctor Strange.

Into Shamballa (written by J.M. DeMatteis and Dan Green/art by Dan Green 1986)

Into Shamballa rids itself of superhero and villain tropes. J.M. DeMatteis and Dan Green wrote Into Shamballa as an introspective story. Doctor Strange returns to The Ancient One’s Himalayan home. Once there, the doctor finds a portal into the Shamballa dimension. Strange is tasked with bringing about an apocalypse that will allow humankind to grow to perfection. Into Shamballa is Doctor Strange at his abstract storytelling best.

Released the same month as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen, Into Shamballa asks several of the same ethical questions. But while Moore’s story ends in moral compromise, Into Shamballa finds spiritual enlightenment. If you’ve read Watchmen, you should try Into Shamballa.

Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (written by Roger Stern/art by Mike Mignola 1989)

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola’s art makes this unlikely pairing work. You heard that right. Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom team up to rescue the soul of Doom’s mother. Triumph and Torment is more of a Doctor Doom story. I almost didn’t include it in this list. But Triumph and Torment is an iconic mini-series and well worth reading.

The Oath (Doctor Strange The Oath #1-5; written by Brian K. Vaughan/art by Marcos Martin; 2006-2007)

Brian K. Vaughan (Saga) pens one of the best Doctor Strange stories of the 21^st century with The Oath. The miniseries showcases Strange’s patented arrogance, while his brother in Wong grounds him. The Oath is the basis for Wong and Doctor Strange’s relationship in the Marvel movies. The story itself is a mystery with a hint of the mystical.

In The Oath’s story, Wong has cancer. Aided by new love interest Night Nurse (who played a role in the Netflix Daredevil series), Strange follows a trail of clues to save his friend. The Oath has the hallmarks of some of Vaughan’s best work: nonlinear plots, nuanced characters, and thrilling twists. The Oath does a lot to modernize Doctor Strange.

We could’ve included a few other Doctor Strange stories. Let us know which Doctor Strange stories you’d add to this list in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.